1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a teaching aid and, in particular, to a form-keeping device for teaching gymnasts and spring board divers to keep their legs and feet together during a gymnastic exercise and a dive, respectively.
2. Description of the Related Art
Devices which aid in teaching persons to keep their form in different sports are generally old and well-known. For example, particularly in golf, there are various form-keeping devices which wrap around the arms and wrists of a person to aid him or her to learn how to swing a golf club properly. Exemplary form-keeping devices for golfers are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,809,042 issued to Wasley in 1957; U.S. Pat. No. 4,239,228 issued to Norman et al in 1980; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,336 issued to Larkey in 1981.
Even for exercising, there are known form-keeping devices. For example, a variable weight glove for wearing on one's hand is known in aerobics from U.S. Pat. No. 4,247,097 issued to Schwartz in 1981. Also, a supportive device for wearing on the soles of one's feet is known in calisthenics from U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,510 issued to Pertschuk in 1984.
However, there are no known form-keeping devices for gymnasts and divers and the prior art devices used in other sports are not applicable to gymnastics and diving because of the different movements which are required by the various sports.